The present invention relates to high velocity aerodynamic projectiles, especially projectiles flying at supersonic velocities.
Classical ballistic projectile design is usually divided according to the type of stabilization provided for the projectile. In general, there are three types of stabilization designs: spin stabilization, flare stabilization and fin stabilization. With spin stabilization, the projectile is maintained in axial alignment with the air stream by a continuous hunting correction due to a gyroscopic moment acting around the center of gravity (CG) of the rotating mass. Fin stabilization employs essentially plane face aerodynamic lifting surfaces attached to the aft end of a low spin projectile to provide a transverse correcting moment around the CG of the projectile to counter the lifting force developed by the forward nose section, which is usually conical or ogive in shape, as the projectile drifts from axial alignment with the air stream. The flare stabilized projectile substitutes the favorable symmetrical pressure distribution around an aft flare for a fin to achieve the same effect. In all three cases, the disturbing moment is due to the lifting forces on the nose and varies with the angle of attack of the air stream on the nose element.